NZ
Taupo
New Zealand's Geothermal Adventure Hub
New Zealand's Geothermal Adventure Hub
Huka Falls (the finest waterfall in NZ for volume; 11m; 2km north of Taupō on the Waikato River; the Huka Falls walkway (free; 2km from the town centre; 220,000 litres/second through the 15m-wide turquoise channel)) is the finest free experience in Taupō.
💡 Huka Falls (free; 11m; 2km north of Taupō; the Huka Falls walkway (the finest riverside walk in the North Island; 220,000 litres/second through the turquoise channel)) is the finest free experience in Taupō.
Lake Taupō (the largest lake in NZ and the South Pacific; 616km²; the Mine Bay Māori rock carvings (10m high; accessible only by water; motorboat from 35 NZ$ or sea kayak from 45 NZ$/half-day); the finest rainbow trout fishing in the world (licence from 20 NZ$/day)) is the defining Taupō lake experience.
💡 Lake Taupō (the largest lake in NZ; the Mine Bay Māori rock carvings (10m high; accessible only by water; motorboat from 35 NZ$ or sea kayak from 45 NZ$/half-day); the finest rainbow trout fishing in the world (licence from 20 NZ$/day)).
The Tongariro Alpine Crossing (the finest 1-day walk in NZ; 19.4km; 7–8h; the Emerald Lakes (the finest volcanic crater lakes in NZ); Mt Ngauruhoe (Mount Doom; 2,291m); shuttle from Taupō (from 45 NZ$ return); book at tongariroalpinecrossing.com at least 1 day ahead in summer) is the finest walk in New Zealand.
💡 Tongariro Alpine Crossing (the finest 1-day walk in NZ; 19.4km; 7–8h; the Emerald Lakes; Mt Ngauruhoe (Mount Doom); shuttle from Taupō from 45 NZ$ return; book at tongariroalpinecrossing.com at least 1 day ahead in summer).
The Craters of the Moon Geothermal Park (the finest free geothermal park in the North Island; free; 3km north of Taupō; the finest boiling mud pools and steam vents; best at 8–9am when the steam is most dramatic) and the Wairakei Terraces (the finest active silica terraces in NZ; from 36 NZ$) are the two finest Taupō geothermal experiences.
💡 Craters of the Moon Geothermal Park (free; 3km north of Taupō; the finest free geothermal park in the North Island; the boiling mud pools and steam vents; best at 8–9am when the steam is most dramatic).
Tāupo eating is defined by the trout (the rainbow trout of Lake Tāupo; the most celebrated angling fish in New Zealand; commercially unavailable but served at licensed fishing lodges using guide-caught fish; the Hilton Tāupo and the Huka Lodge serve the finest Tāupo trout dinners), the venison (the Central Plateau red deer; farmed venison from the Tongariro region; NZ$28–45 for a venison main at any Tāupo mid-range restaurant), and the post-Tongariro Crossing meal (the 8h crossing makes any Tāupo dinner exceptional; the Brantry restaurant on Gascoigne Street is the standard post-crossing dinner address; NZ$30–55 for a main). The Tāupo Farmers Market (every Saturday morning at the Riverside Park; the Central Plateau produce; free to browse) and the Lake House at Acacia Bay (the finest Tāupo lunch with the lake view) are the two most recommended eating addresses. The craft beer scene: the Lakeman Brewing Co (the Tāupo craft brewery; on the Tongariro Street; the Tāupo Pale Ale; open from noon daily) is the most characterful Tāupo bar.
Huka Falls (the finest waterfall in New Zealand for volume; 11m; on the Waikato River 2km north of Taupō).
Lake Taupō (the largest lake in New Zealand and the South Pacific; 616km²; the finest lake view from the Taupō lakefront (the finest free lake promenade in the North Island)).
The Tongariro Alpine Crossing (the finest 1-day walk in New Zealand; 19.4km; 7–8h).
The Craters of the Moon Geothermal Park (the finest free geothermal park in the North Island; free; 3km north of Taupō town).
Huka Falls (free; 2km north; the finest waterfall in NZ for volume; the Huka Falls walkway). Craters of the Moon Geothermal Park (free; 3km north; the boiling mud; best at 8–9am). Lake Taupō kayak (the Mine Bay Māori rock carvings; from 45 NZ$/half-day). Taupō Bungy (from 155 NZ$; the 47m cliff-top jump above the Waikato River).
💡 The Tongariro Alpine Crossing shuttle (from 45 NZ$ return; departs Taupō at 6am; the shuttle picks up from the Ketetahi end; the one-way crossing is essential) must be booked at tongariroalpinecrossing.com at least 1 day ahead in summer — the shuttle fills by 48h before departure in January and February.
Tongariro Alpine Crossing (the finest 1-day walk in NZ; 19.4km; 7–8h; the Emerald Lakes; Mt Ngauruhoe (Mount Doom); shuttle from Taupō (from 45 NZ$ return); book at tongariroalpinecrossing.com at least 1 day ahead).
💡 The Craters of the Moon Geothermal Park (free; 3km north of Taupō) is best visited at 8–9am — the steam is most dramatic in the cooler morning air; the park opens at sunrise; the finest photography light is 8am in summer.
Huka Falls (free), Craters of the Moon (NZ$8), and the Tongariro Alpine Crossing (free trail; NZ$30–45 shuttle) together for NZ$38–53 total give the finest 2-day adventure-and-landscape experience in any New Zealand town.
The Huka Falls Jet (NZ$55; 30 min; the 1m approach to the falls face) and the Mine Bay Māori rock carvings kayak tour (NZ$30–50; 2h; the largest modern Māori carvings in NZ) for NZ$85–105 total give the finest two.
Huka Lodge (271 Huka Falls Road; the most celebrated lodge in New Zealand and regularly cited among the finest 10 lodges in the world; 25 suites; the private stretch of the Waikato River; fly-fishing from the lodge bank;)
Reliable local weather forecasts, hour by hour.
Free
Wairakei Terraces (wairakeiterraces.co.nz) for the from-36 NZ$ geothermal bathing pool and silica terrace tour booking.
Free
Navigation and offline maps — download the offline area on arrival.
Free
Explore more of New Zealand’s extraordinary cities and landscapes.